A “scared” Stanislas Wawrinka made his tournament debut yesterday as a Grand Slam champion, and he made it a successful one. The 28-year-old Swiss who stunned the tennis world by winning the Australian Open in January, edged the dangerous Ivo Karlovic 63, 75 to improve to 12-0 this year.

“I was a little bit scared the way I was going to come back, the way I was going to play, but after five, six days on the practice court with Magnus [Norman],I was feeling really good,” said Wawrinka. “I’m really happy with my level. I really think I’m playing great tennis.”

The Australian Open win also lifted his ranked to No. 3, well ahead of friend, doubles partner and Swiss legend Roger Federer.

“Again I’m not trying to be in front of Roger in the rankings,” Wawrinka said. “For me I’m in front of Murray. I’m in front of Jo. I’m in front of all the other. It’s more strange to be just behind Rafa and Novak. It’s that simple.

“People can ask me hundred times about being No. 1 in Switzerland it doesn’t matter. I will tell you the same answer always. I don’t care, at all, to be before him in the ranking. It’s that simple.”

It’s kinda funny that Stan is as old as he is because he sounds like a young guy discovering just how good he is. He’s scared going into the match and then realizes he’s playing great. It’s funny to see. And it’s good that his form is still going strong.

It also makes sense that he mentions Tsonga, Murray, Nadal and Djokovic as being the guys he sees in the rankings. He’s from their generation after all.